| Your first thought when you read
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| | Look for opportunities to photograph the
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| "Alligator Farm" might be "tourist trap,"
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| | birds while on top of the bushes or where
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| but that could not be more inaccurate.
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| | the background bushes are dark and full.
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| And while the alligators are wonderful
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| | Another approach is to zoom in tight so
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| and plentiful at the place fondly
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| | that your shot eliminates those
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| referred to as the "Gator Farm," it is
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| | intruders.Take advantage of the
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| the birds that attract the world's best
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| | photographer's hours in the morning and
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| photographers.The birds come each spring
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| | evening. These times offer the best light
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| to the Gator Farm in St. Augustine,
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| | and the other photographers are mindful
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| Florida, naturally. The gators keep
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| | of your purpose. Once the public arrives,
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| tree-climbing prey away from the birds'
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| | which often includes groups of children,
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| babies. While the gators sometimes hit
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| | the boardwalk shakes a bit as tourists
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| the trees with their tails to knock eggs
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| | walk by. They rarely linger for long,
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| out of the nests, the birds know that
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| | however. Most of the birds nest on the
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| their babies' odds for survival are much
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| | east side of the boardwalk, so your best
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| better around the gators than without
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| | photographic opportunities are in the
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| them.The Gator Farm is home to a variety
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| | afternoon. Also, many birds return to
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| of bird species, including Great Egret,
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| | their nests at the end of the day, so you
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| Cattle Egret, Roseate Spoonbills, Ibis,
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| | can catch flight shots then, too.The
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| Great Blue, Tricolor, Black-Crowned and
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| | major bird activity generally begins in
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| Yellow-Crowned Heron, and Wood Stork. The
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| | March. While the nesting season varies
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| birds fly out of the area to collect
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| | every year, chicks usually begin to
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| sticks for nest building, pass them to
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| | arrive in April. By late May, you'll
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| their mate, build their nests, lay their
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| | capture many of the different phases at
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| eggs, and feed their young. You can
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| | once since the various bird species have
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| photograph all of this activity to
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| | different nesting calendars. Many of the
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| document their life-cycle story.Round out
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| | birds are gone by June or July, but this
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| your photography visit to the Gator Farm
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| | year the activity is still going strong
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| with a variety of other animals. The Farm
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| | into the summer months.Additional
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| is home to every living species of
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| | InformationThe Gator Farm website is and
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| crocodilians in the world, including the
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| | is chock full of great information. It
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| 15-foot long "Maximo" and some albino
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| | includes two "webcams" located in the
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| gators. You'll also see several different
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| | rookery to get a glimpse of the bird
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| types of monkeys, toucans and parrots,
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| | activity. The Bird Rookery Yahoo Group
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| and various other mammals. Don't miss the
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| | provides up-to-date information on bird
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| feeding show usually at noon and 3:00
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| | activity at the Gator Farm and the area.
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| where the gators gobble some Brazilian
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| | Information on how to sign up is
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| River Rats -- they crunch like
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| | available on the Gator Farm website.
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| popcorn.Background and DirectionsThe Farm
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| | Amanda Whitaker, the Gator Farm manager,
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| is about an hour south of the airport in
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| | monitors the group and provides
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| Jacksonville, Florida. It is located at
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| | additional helpful information. We are
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| 999 Anastasia Boulevard, also known as
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| | indebted to Amanda for continuing to
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| Highway A1A, just across the Bridge of
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| | provide a wonderful place to photograph
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| Lions, in St. Augustine. Specific driving
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| | the birds.In sum, the Gator Farm provides
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| directions are available on the Gator
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| | one of the most convenient, comfortable
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| Farm website at Farm began in 1893, when
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| | and exciting places to photograph a
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| two men started collecting alligators on
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| | variety of birds and their activities.
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| Anastasia Island. It soon became a
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| | Hurry to catch the action there this
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| tourist attraction and the rest is
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| | year, and make plans to spend time there
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| history, literally (the Alligator Farm is
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| | each year from now on. You won't be
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| listed on the National Register of
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| | disappointed.MISCELLANEOUSThe Gator Farm
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| Historical Places).The daily entrance fee
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| | is clean, well-maintained and provides
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| for adults in 2005 is $17.95, and the
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| | great access to the animals. The snack
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| Farm opens to the public at 9 am. You can
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| | bar on site sells a good variety of
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| buy an annual photography pass for $59 to
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| | snacks and drinks. Restrooms are located
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| get in precisely at 8 am through the side
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| | next to the snack bar and by the
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| red door. Don't be late, or you'll likely
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| | entrance.Lodging in St. Augustine is
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| have to wait until 9 am. The pass also is
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| | relatively expensive, but is available
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| your entrance fee to the Farm's annual
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| | throughout the area. Some options near
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| photography contest.The park officially
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| | the Gator Farm are: Sleep Inn, Anastasia
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| closes at 6 pm. Many of the Gator Farm
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| | Inn, and Scottish Inn. In downtown St.
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| employees take turns staying longer for
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| | Augustine, your options include the
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| photographers to shoot through sunset. Be
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| | Comfort Suites, Days Inn, Hilton and
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| sure to tip the volunteers generously on
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| | Clarion Collection. Since traffic is not
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| your way out, because the employees are
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| | a problem, you can find viable lodging
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| not paid by the Farm for the extra
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| | options on the outskirts of town, as
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| time.Shooting TipsThe bird rookery is in
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| | well, including the World Golf Village -
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| a swamp area perfect for raising bird
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| | home to two golf courses and the World
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| families. The birds build their nests in
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| | Golf Hall of Fame.A trip to the Alligator
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| the surrounding live oak trees or
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| | Farm is fun and safe. The gators are kept
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| elderberry bushes. The area is accessed
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| | securely behind barricades or swim below
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| by a long boardwalk that puts you within
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| | the boardwalk, so you don't have to worry
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| feet of some of those nests. Because the
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| | about your being dinner for them. The
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| birds have become accustomed to human
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| | normal precautions about Florida sun
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| visitors, you can get very close. Be sure
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| | should be followed - wear a hat, use
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| to give adequate space to the nesting
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| | sunscreen and drink lots of water.The
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| birds, though.You'll need a mid to long
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| | northeast coast of Florida offers
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| range telephoto lens to capture the birds
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| | wonderful photography opportunities, as
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| on their nests. Lenses in the 400-800 mm
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| | well. St. Augustine is the oldest city in
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| give you the best opportunities to
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| | the United States, and is decorated with
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| photograph the chicks once hatched. The
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| | beautiful Spanish architecture.
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| fastest focusing lenses in the range of
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| | Additional good bird photography spots
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| 100-400mm will allow you to grab flight
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| | are scattered throughout the area - check
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| shots.Your biggest shooting challenge
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| | Anastasia State Park next door to the
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| will be to get a clean background. The
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| | Gator Farm and Merritt Island in
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| birds nest amongst the branches and
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| | Titusville, Florida.Copyright 2005
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| leaves, so your shots may look cluttered.
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| | Carolyn E.
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